1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to the field of household cleaning devices, and in particular to a device for cleaning surfaces, such as ceilings and walls.
2. Description of Prior Art
Walls and ceilings as well as floors become dusty and dirty. Walls and ceilings are harder to clean than floors because there are few options. Cleaning systems for such surfaces are well known. These include the most simple of devices, such as a cloth, rag, or a sponge, to more complicated devices, such as a mop or a brush, to be used either dry or in conjunction with a cleaning fluid, to devices using adhesives, such as lint rollers. Advanced materials may be used, such as a microfiber cleaning cloth. For all known cleaning devices, the cleaning device is rubbed over the surface, relying on friction to dislodge the dirt. In some cases the cleaning device fails to capture the dislodged dirt, however, and merely moves the dirt into the surrounding air.
Using friction to dislodge dirt particles can potentially damage the surface to be cleaned, as well as increasing the effort required of the user. This is especially true where the surface to be cleaned is not perfectly smooth, such as a textured ceiling. In such cases the texture of the surface will impede the movement of the cleaning device, perhaps even scraping dirt off the cleaning device and returning it to the surface. Where adhesives are used, an unwanted residue may be left behind.
A solution to the problem of cleaning large surfaces with different textures involves finding an easier way to move the cleaning material over the large surface without losing its effectiveness for cleaning. Replacing the frictional operational mechanism of existing cleaning devices with a roller partially achieves this solution, by reducing the effort needed to move the cleaning device over the surface to be cleaned. However, merely rolling a device over a surface will not lead to the cleaning of the surface unless there is also a mechanism for dislodging and capturing the dirt. This is accomplished by the use of a microfiber fabric surface on the roller.
Microfiber refers to synthetic fibers that measure less than one denier (a denier is a unit of measurement of linear mass-density and is often used to describe of the size of a fiber or filament; it is calculated as one gram per 9000 meters). The most common types of microfibers are made from polyesters, polyamides (nylon), and or a conjugation of polyester and polyamide. Microfiber is used to make non-woven, woven and knitted textiles. The shape, size and combinations of synthetic fibers are selected for specific characteristics, including softness, durability, absorption, wicking abilities, water repellency, electrodynamics, and filtering capabilities. Microfiber is commonly used for apparel, upholstery, industrial filters and cleaning products. Fabrics made with microfibers are exceptionally soft and hold their shape well. When high-quality microfiber is combined with the right knitting process it creates an extremely effective cleaning material. This material can hold up to seven times its weight in water. Microfiber products also have exceptional ability to absorb oils, and are highly attractant to dirt and dust.
Microfiber fabrics that are designed for cleaning allow cleaning on a microscopic scale. Microfiber materials can clean surface and reduce the number of bacteria by 99% as compared to 33% bacteria elimination by conventional cleaning materials. Microfiber materials have a high dust-attracting power and they can absorb fat and grease through their electrostatic properties. Microfibers get a better grip of very tiny dirt particles because of the natural adhesive forces between the tiny fibers and the tiny particles of dirt. Very tiny specs of dirt, dust, and bacteria stick to the microfibers and stay there. Moreover, microfiber leaves no residue, contrary to cotton or other fabrics.
Combining a roller with a microfiber fabric cleaning surface solves the problem of cleaning large surfaces by hand. The roller, minimizing frictional forces, moves easily over any surface, smooth or textured, and the microfiber fabric cleaning surface dislodges and capturers the dirt as it passes over the surface to be cleaned. This is an unexpected result, as frictional forces are generally desired in cleaning devices, and the minimization of frictional forces would appear to be contrary to effective cleaning.
While microfiber is used in many cleaning devices, for example in mops and cleaning cloths, no existing device has combined a microfiber cleaning surface with a roller.
It is thus an objective of the present invention to provide an improved surface cleaning system that does not rely primarily on a frictional mechanism for dislodging dirt from a surface.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an improved surface cleaning system that does not require adhesives to dislodge dirt from a surface.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an improved surface cleaning system that utilizes a roller.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an improved surface cleaning system that uses a microfiber fabric to dislodge and capture dirt from a surface.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an improved surface cleaning system that is adapted to be used either dry or with cleaning fluids.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an improved surface cleaning system that is reusable.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an improved surface cleaning system that is disposable.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an improved surface cleaning system that may be used with a standard paint roller.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an improved surface cleaning system that is dimensioned for easy cleaning of ceilings or upper walls.
Other objectives of the present invention will be readily apparent from the description that follows.